ELECTRODE FILMING IN THE ELECTRODEPOSITION OF DIFFICULT-TO-PLATE REFRACTORY-METALS

As part of AESF Research Project 80, it was demonstrated that titanium could be electrodeposited from aqueous pastes of insoluble titanium c ompounds. It was also demonstrated that, using the concept of precipit ation of an insoluble titanium compound on the cathode during reductio n, titanium could be electrodeposited from aqueous solutions. The depo sits, however, were generally thin, dark, powdery, nonadherent, and of ten amorphous. It was demonstrated as well that electroreduction of aq ueous vanadium pentoxide pastes on nickel electrodes produced nickel-v anadium alloys. Reduction of aqueous tungstic acid pastes, however, pr oduced only a film of W20O58, indicating that the reaction is primaril y dehydration and polymerization, and that only a small amount of redu ction occurred.